In producing petroleum and other useful fluids from production wells, it is generally known to provide a submergible pumping system for raising the fluids collected in a well. Production fluids enter a wellbore via perforations formed in a well casing adjacent a production formation. Fluids contained in the formation collect in the wellbore and may be raised by the submergible pumping system to a collection point above the earth's surface.
In an exemplary submergible pumping system, the system includes several components, such as a submergible electric motor that supplies energy to a submergible pump. The system may further include additional components, such as a protector, for isolating the motor oil from well fluids. A connector also is used to connect the submergible pumping system to a deployment system. These and other components may be combined in the overall submergible pumping system.
Conventional submergible pumping systems are deployed within a wellbore by tubing, cable, or coiled tubing. Power is supplied to the submergible electric motor via a power cable that runs along the deployment system. For example, with coiled tubing, the power cable is either banded to the outside of the coiled tubing or disposed internally within the hollow interior formed by the coiled tubing.
Power cables typically contain conductors for powering the submergible motor. The motor conductors, typically three conductors, extend along the deployment system to the submergible pumping system where they are hardwired to the motor. The actual conductors may be routed through the connector or alongside the connector.
Regardless of the specific method used for connecting the power cable, the conductors are connected to the motor and the deployment system is attached to the connector prior to deployment of the submergible pumping system. When the conductors of the power cable are connected to the submergible pumping system, the connection point must be prepared carefully to ensure isolation from the relatively hostile environment within a wellbore. For example, if the conductors are routed into the motor, the point of entrance must be rigorously sealed from the fluids and environment in which the submergible motor is disposed. Conventional connection methods for connecting the power cable to the motor are time-consuming and can be subject to failure if careful attention is not paid to sealing any connection points from the wellbore environment.
It would be advantageous to utilize a modular system suited for easy connection of the power cable to the submergible motor or any other components requiring a control input or a communication line.